Necessary Sacrifices
by Tristifico
Summary: Harry decides to leave the others to destroy the horcruxes, but Hermione and Ron will never leave him to go alone. Oneshot.


This is just a short scribble in the middle of the night. Somehow, it's been simmering away in my head ever since I read HBP, but I only got to write it out now. I'm really busy right now, so probably I will only write more amonth later.

Enjoy!

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The day was cloudy, nearly gloomy, Harry thought, as he slipped out of the large, tottering house quietly. The sky was nearly smothered over with light grey clouds, and at such an early hour, there was also a light mist of fog. He gazed ahead, looking at the seemingly endless grey sky and green fields surrounding him, and it distantly occurred to him that he could not have chosen a better day to slip away.

He checked the things he had with him- wand, trunk with food, money and clothes, owl cage, with a still dozing white owl inside, and invisibility cloak. And the most important thing, his trusty Firebolt, was beside him too. Well, that was all he needed to survive out there. He had better get going- the cloud cover would not last too long, and he knew that Mrs. Weasley always woke up at six in the morning. Once she realized that he was not there, she would immediately sound the alarm, and then he would have the entire Order chasing after him.

He shrunk everything except the broom and cloak and tucked them securely into a large robe pocket. Harry knew that a Ministry owl would be after him soon, but he couldn't care less, and it was unlikely that any owl would be able to find him. Besides, he would be seventeen soon, and then he could use his magic freely. Harry mounted his broom, flung the cloak across his shoulders, and turned around to take a last glance at the Burrow, the front yard uncommonly tidy, with the wedding platform still there- they hadn't cleared it away yet- and some chairs scattered around. He looked up, then, and saw the window of his and Ron's room. How he wished that his two best friends could come along…

Harry then turned back to the sky, and was already preparing to fly off when a sudden movement at the corner of his eye caused him to halt abruptly. The front door had been flung open, and two still sleepy-eyed figures hurried out, along with their own belongings, and two old brooms beside them. Harry's heart nearly stopped- he didn't expect them to be awake at four in the morning. Hermione blinked once, twice, as though to shake off whatever remained of her sleepiness, and her eyes widened as she saw Harry's head floating in mid-air. Immediately she was wide awake.

"Harry James Potter! How dare you, how dare you try to leave without us! We told you that we were going along with you, and we very well mean it!" she said, still astonishingly managing to keep her voice down. She paused to take a breath, and then continued more gently, "You know that-"

Ron cut in at this point. "Whatever it is, Hermione, I'm just glad that we caught Harry before he left." He patted her shoulder and said, "I don't think Harry needs you to scold him so bloody early in the morning-" a yawn, and then, "but you should honestly have told us you were going, Harry."

Harry was aware that his mouth was still wide open, and he hastily shut it. "How did you know I was up at this time?" That was the only thing he seemed to be able to think of, and Ron replied that Hermione had cast a ward around his bed that alerted them if Harry got out of bed- she was already seventeen, and so could use magic. Then, for a moment, he considered flying off alone- they would never be able to catch him-

Hermione seemed to know what he was thinking, for she snapped, "No, you are not leaving without us, Harry. We are your friends- how could you think of abandoning us? Aren't friends supposed to support each other through every single thing?"

Harry had blurted out the thing he had worried most about before he even knew that he had spoke. "But you'll get hurt- so many people have died because of me- my parents, Sirius, Dumbledore-" At the last name, his voice hitched painfully, and his throat was suddenly very dry. The world seemed gray, like an old picture, at that single moment, before he looked into Hermione and Ron's eyes, which were bright with sadness, determination- and something else that he couldn't read.

"Harry. We have chosen to follow you, through thick or thin, and we have known the consequences since… well, after your first meeting with Vol- Voldemort in your first year. This is something that we want, Harry." For the first time, Ron's voice was completely serious, and even a little hard. Hermione only nodded, and gazed at him beseechingly. Harry winced- didn't they understand that they would only die and he didn't want them to die for him? They were too precious to him to perish in this stupid war. They knew that, and probably only followed him because they either didn't understand, or they thought that they deserved to risk their very lives for him.

He tried again. "But I don't want you to die! Honestly speaking, I don't really expect to survive this war, but I want the two of you to live to a ripe old age! D'you think I can defeat a- let's admit it- a very powerful wizard, and destroy of all his Horcruxes easily? Besides, the prophecy says that only I can defeat him—there's no need for you to risk yourselves."

"We may not be the ones to defeat Voldemort, Harry, but we can_ help _you defeat him." Now 'Mione sounded exasperated, Harry thought. They still didn't understand that he had to go alone, this was his destiny, he had to do this himself-

"But-"

Before Harry even realized it, Hermione had somehow moved near to him, and dealt him a stinging slap. He touched a hand to his cheek in surprise, puzzlement, and something that felt almost like- relief?

"_Shut up, Harry, and listen." _Hermione hissed, and the already-stunned Harry barely had time to register that Hermione had told him to shut up before she continued. "This. Is. Our. Willing. Sacrifice. We want to do it because we're your friends, you idiot, and if you can't understand that you're a bigger fool than I thought. We- we love you, Harry, don't you understand?" the last few words came out in a breathless rush, and all three of them blushed red before Ron broke the tension by saying, "In a platonic way, of course- even if you were my best friend I'll break your nose if you loved Hermione in any other way."

But his voice seemed so far to Harry, who had just realized something. It had been there in the corners of his mind all the while, but the thought had been overshadowed by the previous thoughts. _They are perfectly willing, although they do know that they might be killed- they want to do this- they love me- they are my friends. My friends. _

_I can learn to accept that others will make sacrifices for me. _

All of a sudden, Harry felt a fierce, exultant surge of happiness rushing up him, spilling over- still he felt happy- it was as if this would never end. He closed his eyes and breathed out deeply, breathing out all that joy inside him, and yet it still kept coming, until even the _air_ felt happy to him-

Then he opened his eyes, and smiled at his friends.

"Shall we go, then?" he asked, and they all mounted their brooms together.

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Oh I do like the ending. Review please, and tell me what you think of it! 


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